Golf: “Cried Like a Baby” – Confession of Masters winner Scottie Scheffler

EOnly at the very end did the new champion’s nerves shake. But by then, Scottie Scheffler could afford the mishap that every amateur knows all too well. When he pushed the third putt in a row, two of them from close range, past the hole on the 18th green, the American even had to laugh. The crowd in Augusta then rose and cheered the Texan on with loud applause and shouts of “Scottie”.

The acclaimed rallied briefly, holed try four and crowned an incredible two months. Despite his mishaps, Scottie Scheffler won the Masters at the very end with a three-shot lead over Rory McIlroy and a little later had last year’s winner Hideki Matsuyama help him into the legendary green jacket.

It was Scheffler’s first triumph in Augusta and the first ever at one of the four major tournaments. Anyone who has followed the young man’s steep career must come to the conclusion that this Sunday evening in Georgia is probably just the first of many highlights. “I really can’t put into words what it means to win this tournament,” said Scheffler at the award ceremony: “There’s nothing more to say than: Thank you. I appreciate it.”

Without winning a tournament in the Ryder Cup

The 25-year-old is the prime example of what ultimately matters in professional golf – the head. There are thousands of players in the world who have the playing skills to win a professional tournament. And maybe even hundreds who could complete the complicated course of Augusta first. But there are only a few who become lasting winners in a sport in which every one of around 280 shots can seal their own fate. This mental toughness separates the world class from the rest.

Scheffler is world class. Three years ago he came to the big PGA Tour via the second-rate Korn Ferry Tour, quickly played up there and was nominated for the US Ryder Cup team last fall. A courageous decision, Scheffler had not yet won a tournament. That changed rapidly this year.

In February he triumphed at the Phoenix Open, the bottle opened and the fastest rise in golf history followed. Two weeks later he won the Arnold Palmer and finally on March 27th the World Match Play. The next day he was the new number one in the world – 46 days after his debut victory. The world of golf has never experienced such speed. Not even close.

And so Scheffler traveled to Augusta as one of the favorites because of his form. But how much he dominated the competition on this course, which actually calls for years of experience, was amazing. After three days, in which he had impressed with precision and great saves around the green, there was actually only one competitor before the final day: the Australian Cameron Smith, who was in a similarly good shape with two tournament wins this year.

“After three days I was in control of the tournament and only had to watch my game,” Scheffler said in retrospect. Easier said than done, as he admitted in a confession that was unusually open in professional business. In the hours before the first tee he suffered a real breakdown. “I cried like a baby, I was so stressed,” said Scheffler. In the arms of his wife Meredith, he told her “I don’t think I’m ready for this”.

Smith shoots himself out of the tournament on lane twelve

It was, even though Smith got off to a better start. But Scheffler didn’t let himself be disturbed and provided the first bang with a chipped birdie on the three. The preliminary decision then came on the iconic twelfth hole, where so many dramas have already taken place. Smith potted his ball in the water on the short par three, followed up with another bad shot and went out with a triple bogey. Scheffler saved his par and managed his immense lead with nerves of steel until the 18th minute.

Highly emotional and spectacular scenes had already taken place there before. On the one hand, there was the pairing of Rory McIlroy and Colin Morikawa (finally fifth), who had an outstanding final day. Both managed the rare feat of sinking their shots from the bunker into the hole on the final hole. In disbelief, they hugged each other in front of the roaring crowd. McIlroy played the best round of the week with a round of 64 on the par-72 course but still has to wait for his first win in Augusta. The Northern Irishman has already won all other three majors.

And then of course there was Tiger Woods, who made his acclaimed comeback 13 months after his serious car accident with multiple complicated fractures in his right leg. The 46-year-old had nothing to do with the outcome of the tournament due to two rounds of 78 at the weekend, but that wasn’t what Sunday was about. Visibly in pain, Woods limped across the 18th fairway towards the enthusiastic spectators and laughed at the end of the tournament as if he hadn’t finished 47th but first.

“An incredible feeling,” says Tiger Woods

For a tournament in which he did not win, the past week was one of the greatest successes of his career, said Woods, who has already won the Masters five times: “It was an incredible feeling. Words can’t really describe it,” said Woods, who announced that he would like to start at the 150th British Open in the summer: “Considering where I was a little over a year ago and what my prospects were for being here now and play four full rounds. A month ago I wasn’t sure if I could do it.” He congratulated Scheffler on an “outstanding victory”.

The promised, who is signed to the same kit supplier as Woods, was visibly moved by his idol’s comeback. “I played his irons, wore his shoes and wore his shirt this week,” he said. On the final lap, I remembered how Woods never let his concentration be disturbed during his superior victory in the premiere in 1997. He tried to behave like his role model. Scheffler’s closing words: “Thank you, Tiger.”

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